Real stories, honest advice

By the Kollavia editorial team. Updated October 2026.

It usually starts with a pause. Your dog walks up to the couch, looks at the cushion, and waits for you to lift them or finds another way up. A dog that stops jumping has often been telling you something for a while before you notice.

Many things can cause it

A dog can hesitate to jump because of sore joints or a sore back, weak hind legs, poor eyesight, a slippery floor, or a fright from a fall. Sometimes it is a change of habit and nothing more. You cannot tell which from the sofa, and neither can we. What you can do is gather the details that help your vet work it out.

What to write down

• When you first noticed it, and whether it came on suddenly or slowly.
• What your dog still manages and what they now avoid, such as couch, bed, car, stairs, going up, coming down.
• Whether the change looks the same on both sides or favours one leg.
• The time of day it is worst. Stiffness after rest looks different from tiredness at the end of a walk.
• Any other change around the same time, such as limping, licking one spot, appetite, sleep, mood.

If you can, film a short clip of your dog walking, climbing a step and getting up from lying down. Many vets find that useful because dogs often move differently in the consulting room.

When not to wait

The vet charity PDSA advises contacting your vet immediately if your dog is in severe pain, cannot put a leg down or has a serious wound, and says it is important to take your dog even when a problem seems minor, because some dogs hide pain well (PDSA on limping and stiffness in dogs). Yelping, a swollen joint or a sudden change are all reasons to call your vet promptly.

In the meantime

A ramp or a sturdy step for the couch and non-slip rugs on smooth floors make life easier for a sore dog, and a healthy weight takes pressure off the joints. None of it replaces the appointment.

Reading a supplement label before you buy

Some owners start looking at joint supplements at this point. If you do, compare labels by the amount per daily serving for your dog's weight, and tell your vet what you are considering. PDSA notes that joint supplements are not a replacement for medication and do not work for all dogs (PDSA on arthritis in dogs). Our serving guide shows how to read a label step by step, and the ingredient checklist covers what research has found.

For reference, Kollavia Liquid Collagen for Dogs is a daily supplement in a 60 ml bottle. Each 2 ml serving contains 400 mg hydrolyzed collagen types I, II and III, 20 mg glucosamine and 10 mg hyaluronic acid. The daily dose is 1 to 4 ml by body weight, poured over food. See ingredients and dosing.

About this guide

Written by the Kollavia editorial team. We sell a supplement, so we have kept this guide to what a dog charity advises and what is printed on our label. It is general information and not veterinary advice.